OVERVIEW: The Carsey Family Foundation was established by Marcy Carsey and her late husband, comedy writer and war veteran John Jay Carsey. Carsey has a major interest in public policy issues and the media. She has supported her alma mater, the University of New Hampshire. Additionally, she supports arts and culture and human services.

BACKGROUND: Marcy Carsey was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts and graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in English Literature. She began her career in entertainment as an NBC tour guide. Carsey worked as a production assistant on The Tonight Show and as a story editor for Tomorrow Entertainment before joining ABC in 1974. She left ABC in 1980 and formed her own production company, which became the Carsey Werner Company. The production company has been behind such hits as The Cosby Show, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun and That '70s Show.

ISSUES

POLICY & MEDIA: The Carsey Family Foundation's grantmaking has supported Independent News Network, which provides state-based reporting. The organization was relaunched, and funds independent journalism projects. Other grantees include Free Press, "a progressive lobbying group that advocates for increased government oversight of Internet Service Providers," ProPublica, Media Matters, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Common Sense Media, and Sojourners, a magazine and online publication which "sits at the intersection of faith, politics, and culture." A component of this philanthropy also involves women's rights. Past grantees include Feminist Majority Foundation, among others.

EDUCATION: Carsey's interest in policy issues extends to her education grantmaking. In 2002, she gave her alma mater, University of New Hampshire, $7.5 million to create the Carsey Institute, which conducted policy research on vulnerable children, youth, and families. In 2013, she gave a large, $20 million gift to create University of New Hampshire's Carsey School of Public Policy. Carsey is also a strong supporter of University of Santa Barbara, where her two children graduated. UCSB is the site of the Carsey-Wolf Center which supports "research, teaching, and public programming about media." The foundation's grantmaking has also supported places like the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and Auburn Theological Seminary in Manhattan.

ARTS & CULTURE: Carsey chairs the board of directors of the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, which she supports through her foundation, including with a $20 million grant made in 2017, Other grantees have included American Folk Art Museum, Children's Museum of Santa Barbara, and Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara.

HUMAN SERVICES: Carsey has supported Weymouth Council of the Hungry in her home state of Massachusetts.

LOOKING FORWARD: Carsey's grantmaking is steady and substantial, but it is hard to know how much money is still waiting in the wings and may eventually go to philanthropy. Keep in mind that Carsey may engage grantmaking outside of her foundation, and so we may be missing some important gifts.

CONTACT:

The Carsey Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch but below in an address